Eric Goree follows through to deliver the game-winning hit for Ruston High in a 4-3 Class 5A Louisiana High School Athletic Association first round playoff victory over West Monroe Wednesday. Goree singled in David Hernandez for the decisive run that advanced the Bearcats to a regional round game at New Orleans Jesuit on Monday.

Ruston High and West Monroe High went according to script again.

Whenever the two I20 rivals have met on the baseball diamond this spring, the winning team’s differential has been by only one run.

So it was again at the Bearcats’ diamond Wednesday and this time when it mattered the most.

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If he had any say in it, Skip Holtz would ask the NCAA to extend the number of spring workouts to more than 15 days.

But 15 it is and that’s how many his Louisiana Tech University squad will have filed away with Saturday’s 1 p.m. “T-Day” spring battle at Joe Aillet Stadium.

“I would feel a lot more comfortable as a football coach if we had 15 more days ahead of us,” Holtz said. “As a new staff coming in, that’s part of what you have to overcome and getting guys comfortable with your system on both sides of the football.”

Louisiana Tech’s inaugural Conference USA football slate has been set and the Bulldogs’ first league game will be on Sept. 14 against in-state rival Tulane at Joe Aillet Stadium, as the league announced its 2013 composite schedule Wednesday.

Tulane will make its first trip to Ruston to face the Bulldogs since 1911 on Sept. 14. The two in-state teams have not faced each other since the 1998 season when the Green Wave was ranked 11th in the nation. Tulane was 2-10 last year in Curtis Johnson’s first year as head coach.

WEST MONROE — In a big game, it’s the little things — and only a few inches — that can make a big difference.

And it was those little things that West Monroe took full advantage of Friday night as the Rebels defeated Ruston High School 33-17 in the District 2-5A opener for both teams at Rebel Stadium.

The win extended West Monroe’s win streak over RHS to 26. The last time Ruston defeated West Monroe, RHS head coach Brad Laird was the quarterback for the Bearcats, who went on to capture a 1990 state championship.